1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to livestock trailers and, more particularly, to cleaning grates that are used for the removal of animal waste from livestock trailers.
Livestock trailers are used to transport a great variety of livestock animals. As is the nature of the cargo transported, the animals frequently deposit both solid and liquid waste on the trailer floor.
Grates are provided for cleaning the inside of livestock trailers and are usually attached to the floor of the trailer. Usually, water under pressure is most commonly used to direct all of the debris inside of the livestock trailer towards the grate (or grates) that are provided.
However the solid waste (feces) occasionally obstruct the grates thereby causing an accumulation of water inside of the trailer to occur. The person cleaning the trailer is then required to manually remove the solid waste apart from the grates in order to allow the water to drain out of the trailer. This is an especially unpleasant task.
The grates are, for most types of livestock, attached to the floor so that the livestock cannot inadvertently remove the grates. If the grates were kicked or otherwise dislodged from their normal position while transporting cargo, the livestock could step into the grate openings and injure themselves. Therefore it is important to ensure that all drainage grates remain in the proper position during transportation of livestock.
Accordingly there exists today a need for an improved drainage grate for livestock trailers that provides for ample clearance during cleaning and which cannot be inadvertently dislodged from a normal position during the transportation of livestock.
2. Description of Prior Art
Drainage grates for livestock trailers are, in general, known. However improved drainage grates for use with livestock trailers having the structure as embodied by the disclosure herein are not previously known.
While the structural arrangements of the known types of prior devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.